A casual patrol was exactly what Cylynx has been expecting on her night out, exactly what she'd been dreading would be her night out. "I should be excited, not even petty crims are out in this area... but I'm so BORED!* She shouted into her helmet, the Nemean remaining impassive as she leapt from rooftop to rooftop.

That was until the crack of gunfire rung out in her ears, unmistakable and easily followed despite the sounds of the city around her. It was a short run, no more than a minute away as she reported in with console wrapping up her report with a casual woop as she jumped off a roof and into the scene.

"Have no fear! Cylynx, Hero of Justice is here!"

This wasn't going as Sammy had panned. It was a simple thing, happened all the time in comics and shows. A guy steals a woman's purse. She'd chased after him, called out a few quips, and when he'd ducked into an alleyway she'd grinned. He was cornered! Then when she'd turned to chase and get the purse back she'd heard the crack of the gun and a sharp pain in her cheek.

For a moment she could taste the warm blood. That was.. not great. It hurt like a bitch but she wasn't collapsing. Maybe it had just grazed her? Pressing her back into the wall she checked her mouth with her tongue. Teeth, check, lips, all there, cheek... There was something embedded in it. A bit of shattered bullet? It might have hit the building near her and splintered. Though she wasn't exactly sure. Either way the dickhead had shot at her! What the hell!?

So it was that the kid cape, fourteen, fifteen? Was spotted by Cylynx. Poking at her cheek with ginger taps of her fingertips, blood oozing out of a deep gash. Her costume looked home made, sports pads and home sewn cut resistant fabric. Impressive for an newbie, but not really up to the task of stopping bullets.

"This just won't do!" Cylynx jumped from the roof, slamming into the concrete in a perfect superhero landing before rising to her full height, all 5'3 of her only made more imposing by the power armor shell. "Surrender, apologize for causing injury, and submit for arrest before I have to take matters into my own claws." She boomed out from the speakers, "You're facing two capes, and I have no doubt the rookie here could handle you, I'd rather they not get hurt."

She stepped forward to stand at the kid's side, pulling out a small first aid kit from the back of the Nemean, "Apply gauze and pressure, I'll look at it once he's in cuffs."

The kid cape's goggles would go wide, expressive white panes that mimicked and exaggerated her expression. She wasn't sure where the other heroine had come from, but the landing! It was perfect!! Calvin still hadn't managed to get it down, always wobbling or having to shake her hand when she landed too hard on it. She almost missed what the other was saying, taking the kit in her hands without really comprehending she was doing it.

Her words slurred a little due to the pain of speaking but she just smiled through it.

"Holy shit you're a real hero! Let me get thish guy. I promish, I've been practicing!"

Inside the alleyway the purse snatcher groaned with annoyance, able to hear them talking about him. Looking around, he'd take a running leap and grabbed onto the bottom of a retracted fire escape. Starting to pull himself up onto it.

"I am indeed a real Hero, and it would be wrong of me to put you at risk further. He could dump every round from that pistol into me and I wouldn't care. You are already bleeding. Wait here and I'll be right back." Cylynx stepped towards the alley and the criminal climbing the fire escape. "You had your opportunity."

She takes a running leap at the escaping man, hitting the top of the fire escape for a moment before grabbing the man by the collar and letting her weight pull them both to the ground and putting a foot on his chest. "Stay down." She threatens as the armor opens up on the back and allows Cylynx to step out and rejoin the young cape.

"Now let's take a look at that injury, okay?"

Calvin would stare with wide eyed excitement as the hero effortlessly sprang forward and dragged the cursing purse thief to the ground. The man pinned under the suit, his weapon going skittering across the pavement.

The wonder was a bit blunted though as she realized that the heroine was actually shorter than she was. But still, an actual Protectorate cape!

"I'm fine, I'm fine, ish just a nick. I've had worsh."

She insisted as Cylynx got closer. Her fingers trying to cover the gash. Already the blood flow was slowing. Like the wound was clotting already.

"You might be, but it is still my duty to make sure." Cylynx steps into Calvin Ball's personal space, pulling her hand away from the cape's cheek to look it over. "Amazing... It's already clotting. You have a healing factor, that's important as an independent Hero."

She still wipes at the injury with a disinfectant wipe before stepping back, "So, tell me about yourself. I don't even know your name yet." Cylynx looks up at the younger cape.

The girl would shift from foot to foot, debating whether or not she should duck away. But Cylynx was a heroine she wasn't going to do anything bad, she was just over rea- "ow ow ow!!"

Calvin would start to squirm and try and pull her head back from the wipe. Grimacing at the sting, and the new blood that dribbled from the wound as the scabs were disturbed. That hurt like hell! One hand would go up to try and cover her injured cheek.

"It's Calvin Ball, and I'm.. I'm fine! I don't know if you need to use whatever that is, it stings. My body being weird might be reacting to it bad or something."

"It's a standard disinfectant, you'll be fine. If your power can't handle a little alcohol you're in for a rough time." Cylynx shakes her head, "Your healing factor is very impressive, is that actually healing or just closing the wound to heal normally underneath?" She squints from behind her domino mask, ideas flitting in and out of her head.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, and I'm sorry for this so soon but I'm obligated to ask... Have you considered signing up for the Wards, or registering with the Independent Hero program?" The Hero pulled a small pamphlet out from a pouch on her waist and held it out for Calvin Ball.

"Ow ow owww." The girl continued to complain, though she let the heroine continue to try and help. "I don't know really, I had a scrape that healed in a few hours. And I cut my finger while making a salad and it sealed up pretty quick. It's really unpleasant, like my skin is made of worms where I'm hurt."

Calvin would listen to the invitation and feel her heart start to race with excitement.

"Wait you think I could be a Ward!?" Then the reality hit her and that excitement died in her chest. "You need parental permission for that sort of thing right?"

"Like worms... Interesting, and a curious way to describe it. The Protectorate is always open to allow for power testing in a controlled environment as well for both Wards and Affiliates if that is something that would interest you." Cylynx had stopped a couple posts ago, but it was interesting all the same keeping a comfortable space between them.

"Certainly I do, you were more than willing to act to do good without a second thought, that goes a long way." She nods, a big smile under her domino mask. "For full membership it is, unless there are circumstances..." Cylynx waves a hand, "Where the parents are involved in a young parahuman's trigger." She leaves the question unspoken but open should Calvin Ball choose to share.

"I.. I don't know if they were exactly. But they don't know I have powers I'm pretty sure. I haven't told anyone, that's how your villains find out who your family and friends get hurt if you ever get captured. I've seen it happen a lot and I'm not gonna make that mistake."

The girl reached up and, using her tongue to push it from the inside, pinched out the shard of bullet that had lodged itself in her cheek. As well as a chunk of brick. Anything smaller she was sure her body would take care of somehow. She flicked away the bit of lead and sighed.

"I'm not one of those jerks who got powers and instantly thought I was better than normal people." The emphasis on "normal" stronger than it needed to be.

"I just want to help. Stop the bad guys, keep people safe. My power sort of sucks, which sucks on its own, but I think I can pull it off if I'm working hard. I made this costume all by myself, and I planned out this route which lets me cover about fifteen blocks if I really hurry. Plus I'm keeping up on my running and have been practicing parkour to make that route bigger."

"If they don't know, and you don't want to tell them right away, then at the very least I would ask that you think about registering as an affiliate Hero. Somebody that the Protectorate and PRT can work with and provide support... It's a dangerous world due independent Heroes, that's why I was so happy to see you had a healing factor."

Cylynx didn't miss the inflection that Calvin Ball put into the word normal, but wasn't going to push, not yet.

"Well, I don't think I've met a parahuman that had ever had an actually sucky power. If you register you'd still be eligible to take part in power testing in a safe environment so you could see if you'd missed anything." She paused, "In theory if you heal your should be able to train harder than the baseline human, since that's all exercise easily is... Just something to think about."

"I don't know if they really need to know." She muttered as she rubbed at her cheek, seemingly startling as she realized the wipe had taken off some of the black grease paint covering up the dense smear of freckles. Her hands dig around in her pockets, eventually pulling out the little tub of black paint and rubbing it back over her cheek, trying to avoid the cut.

"How would I register?"

"If they don't need to know, then they don't need to know. But you might want to make sure you've got something ready, just in case they find out... Some parents take the surprise even worse and it pays to be prepared no matter how careful you are." Cylynx nods sagely.

"Registration is easy, you just need to come visit us at the Protectorate heathers, there's a bunch of paperwork involved and we get you into the system. You get an ID and can apply for additional assistance; a phone, first aid classes, things like that. Plus we can also keep a care package on hand for you at the base, or heaven forbid... A package for your parents."

"I've taken a couple of first aid classes. I wanted to know how to help people, so I took a few courses in helpful skills. The self defense course was hard to explain, but they didn't ask too many questions about it."

She listened with rapt attention, though there was a bit of confusion about the "care packages."

"Why would I leave them something in a place they shouldn't know I'm visiting? What sort of care package would you guys even put together for them? I don't think I'll get any action figures or anything made unless I'm an actual Protectorate cape right?"

"Those courses can make or break your career, I'm glad you looked into them. Honestly, I think first aid should be a standard practice in today's phys ed classes, but what do I know." Cylynx laughs.

"The care package for you would consist of extra clothes, or other personal affects should you be injured or have to stay with us for any reason." She explains casually, "The... One for your parents is one we would never want to use. Should something happen to you... We would have something to provide them with. A parting message, in a video or written format or accolades from Heroes you've worked with. Things like that to help ease the pain of loss. Again, it's not something we'd ever want to have to use... I have one myself, not for my family but for my coworkers and friends."